


a fault by any other name

by orphan_account



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Dancestors - Freeform, F/M, Memory Loss, Skateboarding, Trollian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2015-11-16
Packaged: 2018-05-01 20:30:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5219771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>(would be a mistake just the same)</i>
  <br/>
  <i></i>
  <br/>
  <sub>'He's messed up in the mind, he thinks, but she loves him just the same.'</sub>
  <br/>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	a fault by any other name

**Author's Note:**

> this took way longer than it should have... and im still not pleased with it. who tf cares :///

*

 

Some days he cannot fathom how to even speak to her. How she speaks to him, when he has all these thoughts in his head that he cannot get out, no matter how he tries. Some days he doesn't think he can get through the day without seeing her, doesn't think he can stand this not-life without her. He wonders if she ever feels the same. He doubts it. She's not messed up, not the way he is. 

Latula is always some distant thing to the others. Her facade is well put up, her mask is made much better than his ever was. The others don't realize. She's - a person, not some radical figure meant as an inspiration to trolls everywhere. They wonder why someone as great as her would put up with Mituna, and if he's being truthful - he wonders too, sometimes. Cronus doesn't help. 

Mituna is different than he was before. Maybe once he was up there on that pedestal with Latula, a rad kid with a skateboard that knew how to talk and lie and cheat. But not anymore. He's just a broken jumble of 'fuck off's and sorries. 

He's messed up in the mind, he thinks, but she loves him just the same. 

 

*

 

Once, when he was younger, maybe five or so sweeps, he tripped at one of the only good skate parks. He was a bumbling mess of limbs and swears until he's flat on his back, helmet discarded and groaning in pain. He heard a girlish giggle and two feet move, siding his head. A face leans down, hair falling out of a helmet and bright red glasses sliding down her nose, which is straight and just a bit bloody. 

"Hey," she said. Mituna blinked at her, eyes opened wide, seeing double. She moved around him, and he mourned the loss of seeing her before a hand reached out and he grabbed it and then they're laughing, he couldn't remember what at. They're somewhere else, still at the skate park but sitting, boards discarded somewhere. She looked different without the helmet, her hair slipping out of a bun and her horns in the open. 

She was higher class than him, that he could tell. A teal blood, he was _pretty_ sure, but he'd been colorblind to some extent for his whole life - though he wasn't sure what exactly he could and couldn't see. It seems to fluctuate. He got on Horuss' bad side once, thinking the boy was a mahogany blood, but he'd gotten away with it. 

He was hesitating to ask her, because he's stupid and she's a girl, but she's pretty and smart and good at skating, so he points at her sign and she looks down, arching one eyebrow. 

He couldn't remember what she said next, but he remembered that yes, she's a teal blood, but he doesn't know if that memory is from now or before, but it doesn't really matter does it. 

They exchanged Trollian handles when Mituna's lusus came lumbering forth and looked at him, staring with its unyielding red and blues. Latula looked at it enviously, then waved goodbye to him with a black-lipped smile. As Mituna was carried away he heard a crash and crazy laughter, with a drawn out 'rad' accompanying it. 

He was pretty sure she's okay, but maybe he'll ask her on Trollian later. 

 

*

 

twofoldAbsences started trolling gallantConfident

TA: HELLO II2 THII2 LATULA

GC: yoo th1s m1tun4 r1ght !!!

TA: IIT II2 HII

GC: n11111c3

GC: >:]

TA: 2ORRY MY LU2U2 DRAGGED ME AWAY 2O QUIICK

TA: HE2 A LIITTLE PROTECTIIVE

CG: h4h4 1ts ch1ll 1 dont 3v3n H4V3 4 lusus

TA: YOU DONT?

CG: nop3

CG: sh3 h4snt b33n h4tch3d y3t 

TA: WOW 

TA: LOT2 OF FREEDOM II GUE22

CG: 3h 1 gu3ss 

CG: k1nda lon3ly tho 1dk

TA: YEAH

TA: YOU CAN COME OVER HERE 2OMETIIME IIF YOU WANT TWO

CG: sur3!

CG: w3 c4n pl4y sum r4d g4m3z 4yyy???? ? ???

TA: YEAH

TA: IIM NOT TWO GREAT AT VIIDEO GAMES THOUGH

CG: 1ll t34ch you!

TA: WOULD YOU? C:33

CG: TOT4LLY !!!! ! !!!

TA: WHAT2 WIITH THE !!2

CG: oh h4h4

CG: 4 !!!! 1 ! 3 !!!

CG: th3 numb3rs of th3 bl1nd proph3ts

TA: YOURE NOT BLIIND

TA: AND YOU WONT BE NOT IIN YOUR LIFETIIME

CG: wh4t?

TA: NOTHIING

CG: your3 4 funny guy m1tun4 

TA: YEAH

twofoldAbsences ceased trolling gallantConfident

GC: >://///

gallantConfident ceased trolling twofoldAbsences

 

*

 

Mituna had left after that, bitter and sick of hearing the voices (all their voices, Latula's cut off screaming and chatter and whispers and he wants it to stop. But it won't, it never has and it never will until he's one of the voices he hears so often. 

Latula didn't question him about it, just asked later if he was doing alright. Yeah, he'd said, not disclosing any information about the voices that he'd heard. They'd talked about games (g4m3z) and skating tricks for the rest of the night, until Latula fell asleep at the keyboard. 

Mituna logged off and stared at his screen for about an hour before snapping back to reality. 

 

*

 

cannibalisticCuttlefish started trolling twofoldAbsences

CC: whale whale whale

TA: WHO ARE YOU

CC: wow, dont be reed

CC: meenahs the name 

CC: and youre latulas frond aint you 38)

TA: YEAH WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU

CC: uh dinnit i just tell ya

CC: meenah peixes. future culler of this sea-wretched place 

CC: just gettin to know the crown

TA: CROWN?

CC: crowd

CC: puns are kinda my thing

TA: YOURE KIIDIING ME

CC: reely 

TA: 8||||

CC: 38)))))

cannibalisticCuttlefish ceased trolling twofoldAbsences 

TA: WHAT THE SHIIT

 

*

 

"You're friends with a girl named Meenah?" Mituna asked, the next time Latula came over. She blinked at you, surprised, then groaned, face in hands (or hands in face? He could never remember.)

"Dammit, I forgot I told her about you... Sorry, 'tune, she must've gotten your handle from somewhere, I swear I didn't tell her." She scratched her head, looking frustrated. Mituna almost regretted bringing it up. 

"It's fine, I believe you," he assured her. "She was just being weird, didn't really do anything. Made puns."

Latula cracked a grin. "Yeah," she snickered. "Lots and lots of puns."

 

*

 

Mituna had met Meulin Leijon a whilebefore, a little after he and Kurloz had first formed a shakish moirailagence. She'd been friendly, but not talked to him much herself after that. However…

 

achingCardiac started trolling twofoldAbsences

AC: =^3^= < you like her, don't you?????????

TA: WHAT ARE YOU TALKIING ABOUT YOU 2IILY KIITTY 

AC: =^eue^= < latula!

TA: WHAT?? 

TA: 2HE2 MY FRIIEND

AC: :XX < cmon!!!!!!!!! you can talk to me! cat gotcha tongue??

TA: II GUE22 DENYIING THIING2 REALLY II2NT GOIING TWO DO ME ANY GOOD

AC: :3333333 < yesssssssss

TA: OF COUR2E II LIIKE LATULA 2HE2 MY BE2T FRIIEND

AC: (⁎˃ᆺ˂) < thats not what i meant

TA: THAT2 NOT WHAT II MEANT

AC: :XXc < wat

TA: IIM RED FOR HER

TA: II2NT THAT WHAT YOU WANT TWO HEAR?

AC: :33 < yes!

AC: (=^･-･^=) < but do you furreally mean it? 

TA: YEAH 

TA: DUH, YOU 2IILLY CAT GIIRL

AC: (=ↀωↀ=)✧ < !!!!!!!!!

TA: WHY DO YOU DO THII2

TA: MEDDLE IIN TROLL2 LOVE LIIVE2?

TA: IIT2 NOT LIIKE YOUR OWN II2 BAD

TA: (for now)

AC: ↀ/ↀ < what?

TA: NOTHIING 

AC: (=^･~･^=) < well, to anspurr your question, i dont really know! i guess its beclaws i just think the others should be as catty as i am with purrloz

AC: :XX < and i really dont want her to end up with catkri ↀ////ↀ

TA: WHAT??

AC: :33 < you didnt know?

AC: :33 < kankri likes latula too. redwise. 

TA: OH

TA: WELL IIM GOIING TO... GO

TA: BYE THANK YOU FOR THE IINFORMATIION

twofoldAbsences ceased trolled achingCardiac

 

*

 

Mituna had been preparing to tell Latula his feelings for a while - Meulin's pushing had only sped it up a bit. He was scared, very scared but Latula wasn't the type to ditch people because of their feelings. 

He opened up Trollian after an agonizing day of thinking and saw that Meenah has been trying to reach him for a while there. Scrolling through a log full of pestering and fish puns, he finally found the newest entry. 

 

cannibalisticCuttlefish started trolling twofoldAbsences

CC: tunafish you wannabubble play a game

TA: UM

CC: scaled sgrub 

TA: WERE GOIING TO DIIE BECAU2E OF IIT

CC: nonono 

CC: were going to LIV--E beconch of it

AT: II2 LATULA PLAYIING?

CC: pff loser

CC: i got people talking to her bout it

AT: ....FIINE THEN

CC: great!

CC: okay whale get you in inna bit

cannibalisticCuttlefish ceased trolling twofoldAbsences

 

*

 

gallantConfident started trolling twofoldAbsences

GC: 4r3 you pl4y1ng th3 g4m3 m33n4h's b33n t4lk1ng 4bout?

TA: ONLY IIF YOU ARE

GC: sw33t

GC: 1m pl4y1ng 

GC: 1 got 4 good f33ling 4bout th1s

GC: my lusus s33ms 3xc1t3d too!

TA: II THOUGHT 2HE HADNT HATCHED

GC: sh3 just d1d r3c3ntly! 

TA: HUH

GC: >:]

GC: 4nyw4y, 1ll c4tch you l4t3r

TA: WAIIT

gallantConfident ceased trolling twofoldAbsences

TA: DAMMIIT

 

*

 

telekineticClandestine started trolling twofoldAbsences

TC: ARE YOU GOING TO PLAY THIS GAME MEENAH'S BEEN ALL TALKING ABOUT

TA: II DONT KNOW PROBABLY

TA: LATULA2 PROBABLY GOIING TO PLAY 2O

TC: HAHA NICE BROTHER

TA: ARE YOU OKAY

TC: MEULIN AND I BROKE UP

TA: WHAT REALLY

TC: AND 

TC: I CHEWED MY TONGUE OUT

TA: WHAT?? 

TC: IT WAS AN ACCIDENT

TC: no im lying it wasnt an accident

TC: I HURT MEULIN

TA: WHAT DIID YOU DO?

TC: I SAW THINGS

TC: IN MY DREAMS. I SCREAMED SO LOUD 

TC: SO SO LOUD SO LOUD SHE CANT HEAR MITUNA

TA: OH 

TA: WOW

TC: ANYWAY

TC: IM GONNA GO SEE IF I CAN FIND MORE INFOR-FUCKING-MATION ABOUT THIS GAME

TA: ARE YOU OKAY

TC: (w/e the religion thing is) WILL HELP ME

TA: UH, OKAY

telekineticClandestine ceased trolling twofoldAbsences

 

*

 

They've all entered the game, including Mituna. He's on his world, and Latula's there too, and Mituna's pretty sure he confessed, but he doesn't remember, not anymore. She's grinning, and probably glad to be off her world. Her land was of Weight and Aromas, which was... really rude, when he thought about it.

She's laughed, not at Mituna but at her own thoughts and his nervous jokes. She held his hand, still smiling and breathing and chucking out lame jokes. She wasn't not dead. She wasn't not dead. 

 

*

 

achingCardiac started trolling twofoldAbsences

AC: :33 < HEY

AC: :33 < I HAVENT TALKED TO YOU SINCE M33NAH ROPED US ALL INTO PURRLAYING THIS GAME

TA: NO

TA: ME AND LATULA GOT TWOGETHER

AC: =ↀωↀ= < !!

AC: =ↀωↀ= < IM SO CATTY FOR YOU!! 

TA: YEAH

TA: II KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH KURLOZ

AC: :// < HE BLAMES HIMSELF

AC: :// < HE SHOULDNT! ITS NOT HIS FAULT. I FUR SO BAD (=*n*=)

TA: HE CHEWED HI2 TONGUE OUT

AC: 33: < I KNOW. I KNOW HES YOUR MEOWRAIL MITUNAFISH IM SORRY

TA: IIT II2NT YOUR FAULT

AC: 33: < YEAH...

achingCardiac ceased trolling twofoldAbsences 

 

*

 

”Hello, Captor,"

The first time Mituna met Kankri in real life was when a few of them had gathered to watch Porrim and Latula try to start breeding the frog. Or something along those lines - Mituna was really only here to support your matesprit. Why Kankri was here, Mituna had no idea, because he wasn't with Latula (take that!) and despite Porrim's motherly intent toward him, she and Latula were moirails. 

Kankri and Mituna had only talked online a few times, mostly consisting of something like this. 

 

cooperationGuide started trolling twofoldAbsences

CG: Hell9 Mituna

CG: I hear y9u and Latula have started a matespritship 

CG: As s9me9ne wh9 has kn9wn Latula f9r quite s9me time, I have t9 warn y9u that she is very sensitive a69ut her disa6ility

TA: UHHHH

TA: NO?

CG: Please d9 n9t be this way. Y9u d9n't want t9 hurt Latula. #a6leism #disability shaming #o6livi9usness

TA: 2HUT THE FUCK UP WIITH THE HA2HTAG2 #2O GODDAMN ANNOYIING

CG: Y9u are 6eing very a6leist, Mituna. Please check y9ur privilege and inspect h9w y9ur c9nversati9ns with Latula may have hurt her. #privilege 

TA: OH MY JEGU2 YOU REALLY DONT KNOW LATULA AT ALL

TA: 2HE DOESNT CARE ABOUT PEOPLE MAKIING FUN OF HER LACK OF 2MELL??? LIIKE IIF YOURE BEIING REALLY FUCKING HORRIIBLE OF COUR2E 2HE2 GOING TO BE UP2ET

TA: 2HE CARE2 ABOUT IIF YOU MAKE FUN OF HER MENTAL II22UE2

TA: BUT THE NO2E THIING WA2 AN ACCIIDENT AND 2HE DOE2NT BLAME ANYONE FOR IIT AND DOE2NT CARE IIF 2OMEONE TEA2E2 A BIIT

CG: ...

cooperationGuide ceased trolling twofoldAbsences

 

Mituna was never sure if Kankri was legitimately trying to troll you or was actually being serious, but meeting Kankri now cleared that up. In the worst way possible. 

"'sup, Vantas," Mituna said, pretending he cared whatsoever about the other boy. Kankri eyed him suspiciously, turning away and crossing his arms over his very high-waisted pants. Mituna could understand fashion. 

This was not fashion. 

"Kankri," he heard Latula say, that edge of annoyance just barely veiled. "Can you go? Please?" 

He heard Kankri huff, and turn away, and he saw the furrow of his brow, but Mituna doesnt remember after that. Something went wrong, he was pretty sure, but the reasons why and what happened failed him. 

It didn't matter - they were all going to die anyway. 

 

*

 

telekineticC started trolling twofoldAbsences

TA: I NEED YOUR HELP WITH SOMETHING

 

*

 

Everything hurt. Everything and nothing, all at once. He could still hear the voices, but they're faded, more buzzing and glitchy whispers than anything else. He was laying down, somewhere, and he couldn't think clearly. Something was wrong. Something was wrong.

Someone tapped his - shoulder? Maybe his shoulder. He couldn't tell. What was going on? Where was he? Where was he? Where --

"Tuna," Latula whispered, though he could barely hear it over the buzzing in his ears. "Fuck. Mituna, are you there?" 

His vision cleared. He sat up, stared in one spot before moving his head around. Kurloz was there - but he'd heard Latula's voice. Where's Latula? He croaker out her name, and someone (her?) grabbed his hand. 

"I'm here," Latula said. "I'm here."

 

*

 

He was wearing something weird, when he woke up. It was green and ugly. Mituna changed back to his regular clothes as soon as he got some time away from Kurloz, who was playing his role as a protective moirail well. Mituna was more confused than ever. What had happened? What had happened?

 

*

 

cronusAmpora started trolling twofoldAbsences

CA: hey, havven't heard from you in a wwhile

TA: 0H W3LL 1 GU322 1V3 833N 8U2Y

CA: (uhh gonna ignore the typing)

CA: hanging out wwith that chick latula? she has such a nice ass dude i dont evven

TA: 274Y 4W4Y FR0M H3R

CA: chill, man. i wwasnt going to do anyfin

CA: so, wwhat happened wwith your quirk? wwanted to change it up? lol

TA: N0 1 D0N7 KN0W WH47 H4PP3N3D

CA: huh

CA: wwanna hang out then

CA: you and me, my planet

TA: UH

TA: 2UR3, 1 GU322

twofoldAbsences ceased trolling cronusAmpora 

 

*

 

The hangout didn't work out as planned. 

 

*

 

Sweeps seemed to go by, and slowly everyone seemed to notice Meenah was appearing less and less. 

Good raddance, Latula had said to him, his head in her lap. She'd laughed, then, at her own joke. She was so beautiful. Mituna threw himself at her, kissing her mouth, and then her jaw and then her horns until they were both undressed and groaning. They'd missed this. He'd missed this. 

They were in some weird era of peace, for once. Porrim came over sometimes, kissing Latula and giving Mituna a tight, worried smile. He had thrown a fit about that, once, because he didn't need Maryam's pity, and Latula had almost cried, and Kurloz came over and he didn't remember the rest. Hanging out with Kurloz had lately become just blank spaces, increasingly often. 

Things were tense, and dramatic and chaotic, but it was as peaceful as a group of trolls like them could be. Mituna, for the most part, was happy, if only he ignored the growing-louder voices and his ex-friend Cronus Ampora and the fact that the end was near. If he ignored that - he was. He was happy. 

 

*

 

Then they all died. 

 

*

 

>> Be Mituna's flash drive containing thousands of pesterchum files. 

 

*

 

CC: ur kelpless, mitunafish. just fish her already

AC: :33 > THATS NOT FUR LOL

GC: omg tot4lly r4d1c4l tho???

CG: #slurs #what happened, if y9u d9n't mind me asking? 

CA: dont be a fishfucking retard captor

TC: SOMETHING IS HAPPENING AND I NEED YOUR MOTHERFUCKING HELP

TA: I C4NT S70P TH3 V01C3S

 

 

*

 

>> be Dead Mituna

 

*

 

The voices have stopped. 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> hmu on my [tumblr](saturnias.tumblr.com) and send me an ask, maybe? please comment / give me feedback! thanks ☆☆☆
> 
> tell me about any mistakes or typos - i just gave it a quick readover, and i dont have a beta or anything. :///


End file.
